A higher final invoice usually results from an extension or late return, extras added at the branch, returning the vehicle with less than a full tank or charge, additional kilometres driven or a possible cleaning fee. Each item is listed separately on your final invoice with description, quantity and unit price, so you can see exactly how the total is made up.
Common reasons
Extension or late return – additional rental days (e.g. "extra days", "Flexi late return")
Extras added at the branch – e.g. upgrades, additional driver, child seat, protection package
Refuelling or recharging fee – if the vehicle wasn't returned fully refuelled or fully charged
Additional kilometres – if the booked mileage package is exceeded, each additional kilometre is charged
AdBlue or consumption-based costs – for certain diesel vehicles (e.g. vans), AdBlue is charged per kilometre driven
Cleaning fee – e.g. for smoke odour, pet hair or heavy soiling of the interior
How to read your invoice
Each line shows the description, quantity (days or km), unit price and gross total. You can compare the items directly with your rental agreement.
Still need help? Find our contact options below – please have your rental agreement number ready.
Your invoice contains all items from the SIXT hire agreement you signed: hire days, protection packages, booked Add-ons, fees, and the applicable taxes. In some cases, items are added that only arise after return — for example a refuelling fee, additional miles, or a late return.
Our tip if anything is unclear: First compare the items on your hire agreement with those on your invoice. Anything that does not appear there arose at return.
Items from your hire agreement
Hire days: The daily rate of your booked tariff multiplied by the number of hire days – or a weekly or monthly rate instead, depending on the hire duration
Extra days: Individual days that go beyond a weekly or monthly rate and are billed at the daily rate
Protection packages: The protection you booked, billed per hire day – for example collision damage and theft protection, a reduced excess, or additional services such as interior protection and roadside assistance
Add-ons: Additional services you booked – for example an additional driver, navigation system, child seat, or winter tyres
One-way fee: A fee that applies if the hire agreement specifies a return branch other than the one where you collect the vehicle
If your invoice shows more hire days than your hire agreement, this is usually due to a late return – you then used the vehicle longer than agreed. You will find an example of how hire days and extra days are calculated further below.
Items that can be added after return
Additional miles: The miles beyond the included free miles, if your tariff has a mileage limit – how many are included is stated in your hire agreement
AdBlue: Costs per mile driven for certain diesel vehicles such as vans, billed after return
Refuelling or charging fee: A fee that applies if the tank or battery is less full at return than noted in the hire agreement
Late return: A fee (for example "Flexi late return") that applies if you return the vehicle later without informing us in advance
One-way fee: The same fee also applies if you return the vehicle at a branch other than the one agreed in the hire agreement
Taxes and local fees
Registration and road use fee: Local fees, for example for vehicle registration or road use, varying in name and amount depending on the country of hire
Location surcharge: A fee that applies at certain locations, for example at airports or train stations
Taxes: Insurance tax and VAT – the amount depends on the country of hire
Note: If invoice items change – for example due to refuelling or additional days – some taxes and fees change as well, because they are calculated on the total amount (for example the location surcharge). If your hire duration changes, the daily rates for protection packages and Add-ons change too.
What is the difference between hire days and extra days?
Both are days of your hire period – they are simply billed differently:
Hire days: The days that fall under a weekly or monthly rate
Extra days: The days beyond that, billed individually at the daily rate
These amounts are listed separately when your hire period is not exactly one week or one month. We always build the price from the largest matching rate blocks – month, week, day – because a weekly rate is cheaper than seven individual days and a monthly rate is cheaper than four weeks. We bill the remaining days individually: those are your extra days.
Example: 8-day hire
Hire days (weekly rate) · 7 days · £280.00
Extra days (daily rate) · 1 day · £55.00
Total · 8 days · £335.00
Eight individual days would have cost £440.00 – by combining rates, you pay £105.00 less.
Good to know: Extra days are not a surcharge and not an additional fee. You pay exactly the hire duration you booked – simply in the cheapest price combination.
Note: Traffic or parking violations, Damage claims and associated fees are not billed through the final invoice but separately – you may receive a separate notice from SIXT.
Next step
Place your invoice next to your hire agreement and compare the items – that way you will see immediately which amounts arose at return.
Still need help? Find our contact options below.